Puzzle.



PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

J. G. OBITGHETT.

PUZZLE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1907.

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PUZZLE. APPLICATION FILED N'0v.19, 1907.

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No. 884,902. PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

J. G. GRITGHETT.

PUZZLE.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV.19, 1907.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 14, 1908.

' Application filed November 19, 1907. Serial No. 402,855.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs O. CRITOHETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at El Paso, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Puzzles; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description 0 the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it a pertains'to make and use the same.

y invention relates to puzzles, and the invention is to produce a puzzle which shal be cheap to manufacture, and will be capable of an almost infinite variety of changes, and will therefore make it easy for the manufacturer to put upon the market a puzzle which shall be as hard to solve or as easy to solve as the demands of the trade may dictate.

To these ends my invention consists in a box or other container, preferably cubical in form, adapted to hold a series of irre ular shaped blocks each of which is compose of a definite number of smaller unit cubes or other shaped blocks, and which are capable of being ut together in such a way as to form a so id.

My invention further consists in the novel combination of parts, and details of construction, more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly lpointed out in the claims;

Referring to t e accompanying drawings forming a part of this s ecification in which like numerals indicate ike parts in all the views; Figure 1, represents a perspective view of a cube composed of the various individual blocks constituting my puzzle. Fig. 2, a perspective view of a portion of the arts of my puzzle, with the individual b ocks separated from each other. Fi 3', a like view of other parts of my puzz e. Fig. 4, my complete puzzle assembled, and in its container. Fig. 5, an elevational view of certain parts of my uzzle assembled, and other arts ready to fie assembled, and Fig. 6, a p an view of a cube almost completed from the various parts of my puzzle.

Referring to the above drawings, 1, indicates an irregular shaped block in the eneral form of a pyramid, and provided with the two rectangular oblong parts 101, and 102,

which are square in cross section, and disosed at opposite sides of the block, as shown Best in Fig. 2. Between these parts 101 and 102, are the oblong rectangular parts 103,

104, 105 and 106, which are also oblong and rectan ular in cross section, as shown; and each 0 these latter portions 103 to 106, are successively twice, three times, four times and five times the height of the portions 101 and 102, and are successively shorter in length than its predecessor by one unit than sai parts 101 and 102. That is to say, each of the parts 101 to 106, in dimensions, consists of a plurality of unit cubes of the size of the cube 7; and the arts 101 and 102, each consists of six of such cubes, while the parts 103, to 106, are two, three, four and five of such cubes in height, one of such cubes in thickness, and respectively five, four, three and two of such cubes in length. In other words, the part 101, is a duplicate of the part 102 but stands on end, w ile the part 102, lieson its side. Similarly the parts 103 and 106, are duplicates but disposed at right angles to each other, and the parts 104 and-105, are likewise duplicates and likewise disposed at right angles to each other. Similarly the irregular pyramidal block 2, is composed of duplicate parts 201 and 202, each having a volume equal to six unit cubes, disposed at ri ht an les to each other; and also compose of t e oblong rectangular blocks or parts 203, 204, 205 and 206, disposed between said parts or blocks 201 and 202, and having precisel the same relations and dimensions relative y to each other as the duplicate blocks 103 to 106, above described. In fact, in the illustration of m invention disclosed in Fi 2, the pyramlds 1 and 2, are what might be called reverse duplicates, in that their volumes and the dimensions of' their individual parts are the same, while the said parts in pyramid 1, are oflset to the left,'and those in pyramid 2, are offset to the right. It results from this reversed oifsetting of the individual parts in the two pyramids, that the surface 110, of block 101, may be placed flat against the surface 210, of the block 201, so that the surface 111, of the block 106, will lie against the surface 211, of the block 201. Similarly the surface 116, will match with the surface 216, and the surfaces 115,- 114 and 113, will match respectively with the surfaces 215, 214 and 213. Finally the surface 112, will match against the surface 212, and the two pyramids 1. and 2, will fit to ether as indicated in full anddotted lines in l ig. 2, to form a single larger pyramid.

. In addition to the pyramids 1 and 2,1 rovide an irregularly sha ed block 3, est shown in Figs. 1 and 2. is block 3, is composed of the part, or block 301, containing six unit cubes, and a duplicate in all respects to the blocks 101 and 201. It likewise contains the oblong rectangular block 302, havconstituting the larger block 3, are offset to the left, as shown in Fi 2, and the blocks 301 and 302, are also 0 set with respect to the blocks 303 to 306, to form the stepped surfaces 310 and 313. This offstep ing of the said blocks 301 to 306, permits t e surface 320, of the block 301, to fit against the surface 120, of the block 101, the surface 322, of theblock 302, to fit against the surface 122, of the block 106, and the corresponding surfacesof the blocks 303, 304, 305 and 306, to res ectively fit against the corresponding su a'ces of the blocks 105, 104, 103 and,102. When the block 3, is thus suerposed upon the pyramid 1, as shown in otted lines in Fig. 2, it serves to further increase the pyramid already composed of the irregular pyramids 1 and 2.

Referring now to Fig. 5, the pyramid comosed of the irregular pyramids 1 and 2, and the block 3, is shown 1n elevation, as well as the steps 310 and 313. Also the blocks 201 to 206, of the irregular pyramid 2, are shown in position, and su erposed on said pyramid are the small unit locks 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. The block 7, occupies the top end surface of the part 101 of the irre ular ramid 1, as best shown in Fig. 2, an the blbck 8, occu ies the right hand portion of the upper su ace of the block 122, and fits a ainst the surface 211, of the block 201. T e remaining blocks 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 occupy similar positions with res set to the bloc s 106, 105,104,103, 102 an 20 205, 204, 203 and 202. 4

The pyramid shown in Fig. 5, composed of the portions 1, 2 and 3, and the unit blocks 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 as above described, is further increased b adding the irregular shaped block 6. 1 This block 6, is composed of the smaller blocks 601, 602, 603, 604, 605 and I 606, each a unit block longer in length than its redecessor, each aunit lock in thickness, an each a unit block greater in width than its predecessor, all as more clearly shown in Fig. 2. This block 6, is superposed upon the block 3, as by moving it to the right, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the extreme right hand surface of the smaller block 601, contacts with the left hand surface of the unit block 7. After this is done, the irregular shaped block of, as

ssaeoa 4, shown in Fig. 5, is likewise moved to the right, as shown in Fig. 5, so that its extreme right end fits into the cavity formed between the block 6, and the rest of the yramid formed by the block 3, and the irregu ar pyramids 1 and 2. The position of this block 4, is best seen in Fig. 1, as well as the position of the block-6. After the blocks 6 and 4, have been dis osed of as above stated, the block 5, may Rae brought into position, by superposing the same upon the block 2, as shown in Fig. 5, so that its extreme u )per end fits against the unit block 7, as )cst shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 6.

As will be seen from Fig. 3, of the drawings the block 5, like the precedin blocks is composed of smaller blocks, eadli shorter than its redecessor, the top three formed in steps an the bottom three all of the same width as shown. These various smaller blocks are offset, as shown in Fig. 5, and leave irregular surfaces, to fit against the steps of the pyra-,

mid 2, heretofore described. In placing the blocks 3, 4,5 and 6, into position above described, a cube was formed having a hollow space assinlg down through the center thereest s own in Fig. 6. Into a portion of this s ace may be fitted the irregular sha ed b ock 14, as best shown in Figs. 1., 4 an 6. Into another )ortion of this space is placed the block 15, shown in Fig. 1, on top of the block 15, the block 16, on top of the block 16, the block 18, and in the space thus left the block 17 fits, which comp cube.

The above 0 eration of assembling the blocks is prefera ly made within a container 20, which may be of the shape shown in Fig. 4; and be provided with a suitable cover, as 21. The various blocks above mentioned, are so irregular in shape that it is an exceedingly difficult matter to put them together, even after one has succeeded in forming the cube a few times. But the roblem of forming the cube may be ren ered immensely more difiicult by cutting the various parts 1, 2 and 3 etc. into other smaller pieces. Since the volume of each part is composed of a certain number of unit cubes 7, the cutting of the various parts into smaller volumes does not in any wise prevent the said parts from again being fitted together, but since each part may e fit to some other part, in so many different positions, such cutting of the principal parts makes an almost infinite variety of possible fittings together 'to which the individual parts may be subjected. For example, in practice I propose to cut the parts 1, 2 and 6 each, into at least two or three smaller parts so that the individual parts of the same will not be larger than the parts 14 and 15, now shown in Fig. 2. This cutting of the principal parts would destroy the idea of first forming the pyramids, above disclosed, and would render the operation of putting etes the thevariousparts of the cube to 'ether so diffioult that it would be next 'to impossible to solve the puzzle. I A most important feature of my invention resides in the individual regular shaped parts or unit cubes 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, For it is so easy to put the larger parts together and leave these individual parts out, that one is almost sure to do it if he does not learn the But in all cases component parts must be so chosen that they are each composed of lesser blocks, the volumes of "which are definite multiples of some unit volume, which unit volume is always present in my puzzle.

Therefore, I do not wish tobe understood as limiting myself to the exact details of structure, nor to the arrangement of arts as above disclosed, since it is evident t at both may be widely varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I- claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a puzzle, the combination with a series of irregular shaped parts and a series of six cubes, adapted to constitute a larger cube having a volume equal to the combined volumes of the individual parts, substantially as described. Y

2-. In a puzzle, the combination with a series of irregular shaped arts, each'composed of a number of unit voliimes, and a ser1es of six cubical parts, adapted to form a single cube hayin ,a volume e ual to the combined volumes 0 the indivi ual parts, substantially as described.

3. In a puzzle, the combination i 'vith a series of irregular shaped arts, each composed of a number of rectan uIar solid portions and each of said portions aving a volume made of a number of unit volumes, and a series u of six regular cubes, each of a unit volume, adapted to form a s mmetrical solid havin a volume equal to t e combined volumes 0 the individual parts, substantially as described. p I

4. In a-puzzle, the combination with a series of irregular shaped pyramidalparts, and a series of six .cubes adapted to fit between said pyramidal parts, to form a single cubev having a volume equal to the combined volume of all of said parts, substantially as described.

5. In a puzzle, thecombination with a series of irrefgular shaped pyramidal arts, and I a series 0 irregular and different y shacped other parts, each of said parts com ose of smaller parts, and each of said smal er arts having a volume equal to a number 0 unit cubes, and a series of six unit cubes, the vwhole ada ted to form a single larger cube,

substantia y as described.

6. A cube for use as apuzzle, consisting of a plurality of irregular pyramidal shaped parts, each consisting of a series of smaler oblong rectangular portions, a plurality of other and differently shaped, irregular parts, and a series of unit cubes, said pyramidal and irregular parts and said cubes adapted to fit together to form a single larger cube, substantially as described.

Witnesses:

W. M. PETIKoLAs. F. E. I'IUNTER.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, 

